Fine particles, nitrogen dioxide and ozone continue to poison Europeans. France is one of the bad pupils.
The air quality in Europe leaves much to be desired. In its latest report on air pollution released on October 11, the European Environment Agency indicates that the situation “is slowly improving”. Large European cities are still suffocated by clouds of fine particles, ozone and nitrogen dioxide. A toxic environment responsible for more than 530,000 deaths on the continent.
By themselves, the fine particles of 2.5 microns capable of lodging deep in our lungs are responsible for the premature death of nearly 430,000 people each year in 41 countries in Europe. The balance is 399,000 if the calculations are carried out in the 28 Member States of the European Union.
Next come nitrogen dioxide and ozone, which respectively kill 78,000 and 14,000 people per year. Very similar figures if we take into account only the European Union.
Source: Annual concentration of fine particles 2.5 microns in Europe in 2015, European Environment Agency.
Source: Annual concentration of nitrogen dioxide in Europe in 2015, European Environment Agency.
Stroke and heart attack
According to the European Environment Agency, stroke and heart attack are the main causes of these deaths. Air pollution is indeed an aggravating factor in these pathologies, because it damages the walls of the arteries. Studies have also shown that fine particles can infiltrate to the heart.
Respiratory pathologies and lung cancer are also responsible for thousands of deaths each year, after long years of exposure to pollution. In the short term, the poor air quality exacerbates asthma and other respiratory disorders, sometimes forcing patients to be hospitalized.
France is a bad pupil
At the level of the European Union, Germany is the country which pays the heaviest price (80,000 deaths). Next come Great Britain (64,000) and France (63,000). Either the most populous countries in Europe, notes the report. But taking into account the number of inhabitants, we see that European countries such as Poland or Bulgaria are the first victims of pollution.
Conversely, northern European countries such as Sweden, Norway and Finland deplore fewer deaths attributable to pollution.
What about the legislation put in place by states to protect the health of populations? At the start of 2017, France, Germany, Italy, Great Britain and Spain were lecture by the European Commission due to “continuing violations of air pollution limits”. In France, pollution regularly exceeds the threshold limits in Paris, Marseille and Lyon.
A plan in 2018
The Commission had advised countries to reduce their emissions from road traffic, and in particular those from diesel vehicles. Brussels had warned that if these countries did not fall into line, sanctions could be pronounced by the European Court of Justice. Legal actions are already underway against these countries for non-compliance with regard to PM10 particles and nitrogen dioxide.
Through the voice of Nicolas Hulot, the Minister for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition, France indicated that a plan should be presented by March 2018. An announcement made at the end of September in the Arve valley (Haute-Savoie) ), a small corner of France which is suffocating because of trucks and wood heating (see box).
Arve valley: pollution kills 85 people per year
The Arve valley, at the foot of Mont Blanc, has been holding its breath for decades. Passageway for trucks passing between France and Italy, this beautiful region wedged between the mountains is confronted with emissions of fine particles, ozone and nitrogen dioxide which are breaking all records. In addition to road traffic, there is a significant use of firewood.
A situation well known to the Minister for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition, Nicolas Hulot. On a trip to the valley at the end of September, the inhabitants reminded him that ten years earlier he was part of the ranks of activists demanding to breathe better quality air.
Claims that are even more common in view of the results of a study conducted by Public Health France. The health agency estimates that between 2012 and 2013, 8% of deaths are attributable to chronic exposure to fine particles, or 85 deaths per year. In large cities, air pollution is responsible for 13% of mortality.
In addition, the inhabitants of the 41 municipalities of the valley lose an average of nine months of life expectancy at 30 years.
If fine particle emissions were reduced by 30%, the population would gain 5 months of life expectancy and 45 people would be saved each year, the study reports.
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